Community involved in royal battle demands release of detained monarch
Dennis, crowned ruler by the community, has been pitted in a monarchy tussle with his cousin Alphonsus Ezebuilo, who was certified Igwe by the state government
Protesting members of Amanuke community at the premises of federal high court , Awka on Monday :
Photo by Titus Eleweke
Over 100 persons from Amanuke community in Awka North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, on Monday, took to the streets to protest the arrest and detention of their monarch, Dennis Ezebuilo.
Ezebuilo, crowned ruler by the community, has been pitted in a monarchy tussle with his cousin Alphonsus Ezebuilo, who was certified Igwe by the state government.
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The protest was staged at the premises of Federal High Court Awka, Anambra state capital.
Ezebuilo was remanded in police custody on the order of Justice Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa of Awka Federal High Court following a case of alleged impersonation.
The protesters wielded placards that read, “Leadership is not by force, Amanuke is one with one king,’ ‘Igwe Dennis Is our crowned king of Amanuke Eri,’ ‘Amanuke stands with Igwe Dennis Ezebuilo'”
Addressing journalists, the leader of the protesters, Nweke Nwachukwu, said they would never accept Alphonsus as Amanuke’s monarch until ‘Igwe’ Dennis is recognised or certified by government and allowed him to discharge his duties on the throne.
Also speaking, the woman leader of the community, Maria Nwoye, and the youth leader, Moses Akum, expressed shock over the arrest and detention of Igwe Dennis, insisting that he was not impersonatin rather he was accepted and crowned by both the young and the elders.
Alphonsus Ezebuilo, had in an interview last week, said he sought justice from the court because he was crowned in 2014 by Amanuke people, and Anambra State Government duly certified him .on July 12, 2015.